When the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) hit, many facets of the supply chain experienced disruption. Restaurants closed, some permanently. Excess food went to waste. E-commerce boomed, further fueling the "Amazon Effect." And, the ever-present driver shortage gap transformed into an overall industry-wide labor shortage issue.However, despite all of the hiccups and disruptions, trucks kept on truckin'.The trucking industry moves more than 72% of the nation's freight tonnage, and over the next decade, will be tasked with moving 2.4 billion more tons of freight than they do today, according to an American Trucking Associations (ATA) press release."Supply chains are increasingly complex, which prompts more and more companies to align with experts (3PLs) to provide guidance and clarity," says Craig Callahan, EVP and chief commercial officer, Werner Enterprises. "Manufactures are sourcing parts globally and automating production to meet the needs of retailers and distributors and are now being pushed to provide fulfillment in the traditional and e-commerce platforms. These constantly escalating requirements have driven organizations of all sizes to align with one or more 3PLs that have invested in people, processes and technology. Most companies have prioritized their capital investment on productivity-driving initiatives, leaving little capital to spend on supply chain technology. Given this, we continue to see companies challenging their 3PL carriers to make those technology investments and provide those services for them."
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